Shocking! Embarrassing!

Inexplicably, I signed up for PARADE NEWSLETTER, from the folks that bring you the newspaper insert/magazine. They have a link to 16 Stars’ Most Embarrassing TV Ads; the trouble is that about half of them aren’t all that embarrasing. Ben Affleck’s Burger King Delivery ad, which I remember, I thought was endearing. Matt LeBlanc’s plug for Heinz ketchup, which I also recall, is harmless. Little Sarah Michelle Gellar is sweet talking up Burger King. Bruce Willis singing for Seagram’s is consistent with his Bruno persona. The only thing embarrassing about Jason Alexander’s jingle for McDonald’s is how badly the product he hawked stiffed. And why would Elijah Wood cringe over his Pizza Hut bit?
Not that there weren’t stinkers, such as as Brad Pitt’s for Pringles and Seth Green for Nerf. (But does Seth Green GET embarrassed?) Then there’s Meg Ryan’s hair in the Aim toothpaste commercial, but I blame the decade.

Now here’s a site you might want to check out: StepByStepMarketing, “an Internet-centric resource for owners and managers of growing and emerging businesses – entrepreneurs and established businesses alike – designed to keep you on top of the latest trends in brand building, marketing, sales, and customer service and relationship building.” But you don’t have to be in business to appreciate its value. I get the Daily Tips, and today’s message is Rules to Write By: 5 grammatical copywriting mistakes to avoid. Many of us “know” the rules yet do not abide by them; forward the link to the ones you love but who continue to confuse its and it’s.

Favorite spam of the day: “Think of how stupid the average guy is, and realize halve (sic) of them are stupider than that.”

Why should they be embarrassed over the commercials they did on their way up? That’s just plain silly. I’d love to see more take Barry Manilow’s attitude and shamelessly exploit their commercial jingles. I just love his very strange medley. (For those not the Manilow fan I am, in concert he does a medley of all the commercial jingles he wrote — and he wrote some great classics.) For fun, check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWe-gAEXirA

Okay, they promote twigs to the point of making starvation a fashion statement and they poke fun of Drew Carey for healthy weight loss! Gimme a break.